Cable Testing Equipment for Hire

Cable testing is a high-stakes discipline. Field tests on installed cables are routinely the last gate before energisation, and the wrong test method or voltage profile can damage XLPE insulation, joints and terminations rather than verify them. The IEEE 400 series, IEC 60840, IEC 62067 and IEC 60229 set out the field test methods Australian asset owners and contractors are expected to follow. Megavar's hire fleet is built around the test methods these standards specify, not around general-purpose hipot equipment repurposed for cable work.

The fleet covers the three cable test methods that matter on Australian transmission and distribution networks. VLF withstand testing at 0.1 Hz from the HVA range for after-laying acceptance and maintenance on extruded cables up to 33 kV class. AC withstand testing at 50 Hz from the Phenix BK130, Phenix 6CP50, Phenix 500 kV resonant set and SUTE 300 kV resonant set, covering MV through transmission-class cable circuits up to 500 kV where IEC 60840 and IEC 62067 require energisation-frequency withstand. Tan delta and insulation resistance diagnostics from the Omicron CPX 200 with HVX10, the Omicron CPC 100 with CP TD1, the HVA 28 kV integrated tan delta set and the Megger MIT 5 kV and 10 kV insulation testers for condition assessment and acceptance work.

Cable accessory testing is supported by Pfisterer CONNEX Test and Transition Connectors in Sizes 2 and 3 for HV pressure testing, and Pfisterer CONNEX Grounding and Current Testing Connectors in Sizes 0 and 1 for primary current injection and earth-bond verification on CONNEX-socketed cable accessories. These are the connection components most cable test set-ups on transmission projects depend on. Hire from our offices in Hobart, Launceston, Adelaide and Newcastle, with delivery Australia-wide, from a team that performs cable testing as a core service.

The fleet supports four broad cable testing scenarios across medium-voltage and high-voltage networks.

After-laying tests on new and replacement cables

After-laying tests verify that a newly installed cable, its joints and its terminations have been built to the design and have not been damaged during installation. IEEE 400-2023 is the omnibus standard. For extruded cables, IEEE 400.2 specifies VLF withstand at 0.1 Hz, typically at 3 times the rated phase-to-ground voltage U0 over 60 minutes. For transmission-class cables, IEC 60840 (above 30 kV to 150 kV) and IEC 62067 (above 150 kV to 500 kV) require AC withstand testing at energisation frequency, which is achieved with resonant test sets sized to the cable capacitance and length.

Maintenance and condition assessment

Periodic diagnostic testing supports asset management on aged cable circuits. Tan delta and dissipation factor measurements at multiple voltage steps detect insulation degradation, water tree development and accessory faults before they fail in service. Insulation resistance testing with Polarisation Index and Dielectric Absorption Ratio remains a baseline check that should precede any higher-voltage test, and is required by most utility commissioning procedures.

Fault verification after repair

After a fault location and repair sequence, the cable must be re-tested before re-energisation. The same VLF or AC resonant procedure used at commissioning is normally repeated, often at a reduced voltage profile per IEEE 400 maintenance recommendations. The test confirms that the repair has not introduced a new weakness and that adjacent joints and terminations have not been disturbed.

Cable sheath integrity testing

Cable sheath testing per IEC 60229 verifies the integrity of the outer non-conductive jacket on single-core HV cables and single-point-bonded systems. Sheath tests are typically applied between the metallic sheath or screen and earth in the 3 to 10 kV range. The HVA 60 in the Megavar hire fleet has a dedicated DC sheath test mode (DC output to 60 kV, either polarity). Contact the Megavar engineering team on 1300 730 499 to match the set to your cable.

Cable testing equipment ranges from a 5 kV insulation tester at the low-cost end to a 500 kV resonant test set on a flatbed trailer at the high-cost end. The hire-versus-buy decision turns on utilisation, capital tolerance and how often the equipment changes generation.

• You need a specialised test method for one project
• Capital is constrained or commissioning rates do not justify outright purchase
• Calibration and freight on owned equipment would exceed hire cost
• The project demands the latest generation of equipment and current calibration
• You want flexibility to scale up multiple test sets in parallel during a peak window

•  Your team performs the same test method on more than 50 days per year
• You have in-house cable testing engineers who are competent on the platform
• Your projects are remote enough that hire freight outweighs purchase plus calibration
• You require permanent on-call availability that hire cannot guarantee
• Your asset management programme commits to a multi-year condition assessment cycle
• You can amortise the unit over its expected service life of 10 to 15 years

Megavar is a specialist HV testing and commissioning firm with offices in Hobart, Launceston, Adelaide, Newcastle and Gladstone. We perform cable testing as a core service on transmission and distribution projects every week, including for ElectraNet, TasNetworks, Downer, Acciona and Zinfra/Jemena. The hire fleet exists because we built it for our own commissioning teams first, and we maintain it to the standard those teams require.

When you hire cable testing equipment from Megavar you receive: full current calibration with NATA-traceable certificates, complete accessory and lead sets, and a configuration tailored to your scope. Where the project demands a turnkey service rather than equipment hire alone, we can quote on the full commissioning scope.

Hire periods are flexible from single-day commissioning checks through to multi-month project rentals. Delivery is Australia-wide. Call 1300 730 499 or email rentals@megavar.com.au.

A Megavar field guide to the test: what it proves, how it is set up and how to read the result.

A full HV cable test typically requires four classes of equipment: an insulation resistance tester for the pre-test check (Megger MIT 5 kV or 10 kV), a withstand test set sized to the cable rating and length (VLF for MV extruded cables, AC resonant for transmission), a tan delta or partial discharge diagnostic accessory for condition assessment, and the connection components to interface to the cable accessories (Pfisterer CONNEX Test and Transition Connectors for HV pressure testing, and CONNEX Grounding and Current Testing Connectors for primary injection and earth-bond). The exact mix depends on cable voltage class, length and the standards that apply to the project.

Very low frequency (VLF) cable testing applies a withstand voltage at 0.1 Hz rather than 50 Hz, typically at 3 times the rated phase-to-ground voltage over 60 minutes per IEEE 400.2. The low frequency dramatically reduces the capacitive charging current the test set must supply, which makes it practical to apply withstand voltages on long MV and HV cable circuits from a portable instrument. VLF has largely replaced DC hipot for after-laying acceptance on extruded XLPE cables, because DC hipot can damage XLPE through space-charge accumulation.

VLF and AC resonant are both AC withstand methods. VLF operates at 0.1 Hz and uses a portable test set, suited to MV cables up to 33 kV class. AC resonant operates at or near power frequency (IEC 60840 and IEC 62067 accept 20 Hz to 300 Hz for after-installation tests) using a tuned reactor matched to the cable capacitance. Resonant sets are larger and require trailer or container mounting but they are the only practical method for transmission-class cables, and they are what IEC 60840 (above 30 kV to 150 kV) and IEC 62067 (above 150 kV to 500 kV) specify for after-laying tests.

Yes. Megavar provides full cable testing services using the equipment in this rental fleet, including test plan development against IEEE 400, IEC 60840, IEC 62067 and IEC 60229, on-site execution, and acceptance documentation. If your project requires a turnkey service rather than equipment hire alone, contact us with the cable schedule, voltage class and standards that apply, and we will quote a full scope.

Tan delta (dissipation factor) testing measures the dielectric losses of the cable insulation at several voltage steps, typically 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 times U0, under VLF at 0.1 Hz. The absolute value, the change between steps (tip-up) and the stability over time are compared against the IEEE 400.2-2024 assessment criteria. It is a condition assessment test for aged XLPE and EPR cables, and is run on acceptance where the project specification calls for it. Megavar hires the HVA 28 TD for VLF cable tan delta work.

After-laying tests follow IEEE 400.2-2024 (VLF on extruded cables) or IEC 60840 / IEC 62067 (transmission cables). The standard sequence is: visual inspection and continuity check, insulation resistance test at 5 or 10 kV with PI and DAR, sheath integrity test per IEC 60229 where applicable, withstand test (VLF or AC resonant), and a tan delta or partial discharge diagnostic where the project specification calls for one. The Megavar engineering team can develop a project-specific cable test plan against the relevant standards if required.

Yes. Hire periods range from a single day for a commissioning check through to multi-month project rentals. The 500 kV resonant set, the 300 kV SUTE resonant set and the HVA 60 kV VLF set are high-demand items so booking the equipment as soon as the project window is known is recommended. Call 1300 730 499 to confirm availability.